BG

April 3, 2012

When the enumerator came to our home, my French-Canadian grandmother must have been caring for me while my parents were at work as I was just a toddler. My Mémère spoke little English, we were never allowed to speak English to her and never ever did she call me Lucie - I was baptized Lucienne so she and my mother always called me by that name. The rest of the world called me Lucie, sometimes Lou (especially my sister) as Lucienne does not pronounce well in English. As a child I didn't like my name when Scout leaders or other non-French would call me Loushiene. UGH!

Anyhow, I can picture Mémère Levesque repeating the name to the enumerator so he'd get it right: "Lucie Enne" anyhow what the Irish, English-only speaking enumerator came away with and wrote down was LOIS E - so as I say, just call me Lois.

To be honest, I am enjoying going through the 1940 Census and finding all of my family and extended family. Seeing where they lived, who lived near them, what kind of work they were doing and how they fared where their education or work was concerned and how they did financially since they had all lived through the Great Depression.

At the same time, I must say that as much as the 1940 Census is both interesting it is also sad. I am
seeing relatives, neighbors, classmates who lived in my neighborhood
who are no longer with us today. You look at that and realize just how
fleeting life is knowing that the many people you knew are gone. Where have the years gone? Where have our ethnic neighborhoods filled with families and extended families gone?

Now remember that if you decide to look for me in the 1940 Census, look for Lois E otherwise
you'll not find me. Just think, all this time I've waited to see me in a census and
now that the census has been released, I'm still not in it. What can I say? Perhaps this is a way to be forever young.

Ha. They hired anybody. I remember looking through a city directory, saving various pages to my computer, and I came across an entry in a crap section of town. "Polish families". That's all the person putting the directory wrote in for that address. Must've been close to lunch, or Friday afternoon.

Loved your story! My father's family was listed as MUNROE, not WILKINSON. Someone (no one was checked off as being the reporter) must have given my grandfather's full name "Donald Munroe Wilkinson" and the enumerator wrote down the surname as MUNROE. If I hadn't grown up in the house and recognized the address I wouldn't have figured this one out. I'm glad I was browsing, not using an index, aren't you!

Thanks for posting. I couldn't agree more with you. It is so fun to be searching through the census than if we had an index. At times I have found family where I didn't expect to on the page with other family. I have also sent copies to others if I found their parents or a parent and grandparents in the census. Like you, I am thoroughly enjoying the search/browsing.

The truth of it all is that the Great Depression was just coming to an end so many people who were without work were employed as enumerators. To be honest, I've been quite impressed with what I have been finding. The censuses I've been going through were very well written. The names and numbers plus any details included are easy to read.

Must say, I love your site. Came across it while searching for info re my great great grandfather, Antoine Perrin. He left Quebec City with his 2nd wife and young daughter and moved to Lawrence, ca 1885. I descend however from his son (from Antoine's first marriage) who remained in Quebec. It appears I do have relations in the Lawrence area! At first I wondered why Antoine would move to Lawrence. I hadn't realized it was such an area for French Canadian emigration. Now I know.

I discovered your blog while searching for information regarding my mother's maiden name: LeBlanc. My ancestors returned to Nova Scotia some time after the deportation and I was raised there. However, I know some of my ancestors ended up in Massachusetts after "le Grand Dérangement" and I'm wondering if we are related.

I have quite a lot of information regarding my father's family, the Robichauds, but would like to know more about my mother's side. Three of my grandparents were LeBlancs.

I discovered your blog while searching for information regarding my mother's maiden name: LeBlanc. My ancestors returned to Nova Scotia some time after the deportation and I was raised there. However, I know some of my ancestors ended up in Massachusetts after "le Grand Dérangement" and I'm wondering if we are related.

I have quite a lot of information regarding my father's family, the Robichauds, but would like to know more about my mother's side. Three of my grandparents were LeBlancs.

Born and raised in Massachusetts to an Acadian father and French-Canadian mother, I have been working on our family history for many years. I began with my mother's side of the family when I was about 11 years old. It was a long time before I knew my father was Acadian. I love knowing my heritage. It gives me a wonderful sense of who I am.
After all these years, you can imagine how many books I have purchased for research. I've decided it is time to part with some of these precious research materials - thus the creation of this blog "Lucie's Book Nook".
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Lucie LeBlanc Consentino

ROSE BLOGGER AWARD

Lucie's Legacy, Acadian Ancestral Home, Whispers Through The Willows. This Award is dedicated to my mother Roseanna Levesque LeBlanc. It is awarded to bloggers who keep the memory of their ancestors alive.